C2003

In the Secret Realm of Time, an ancient and substantial book floated serenely, continuously absorbing the surrounding luminescence and time-infused grains of sand.

After an indeterminate span of time, a figure emerged — the Dark Deity, Green Willow.

During the tumult when Yuan Le, inhabiting the Ape, brandished the Heaven-Shattering Hammer to strike at Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen, Green Willow was caught in the crossfire. A drop of his meticulously refined Sunsorrow shattered.

In the instant his tongue was pierced, he departed, preempting Yuan Le's full arrival.

Now, Green Willow has returned.

"You two have finally emerged."

In human form, Green Willow extended his hand to retrieve the Book of Time from the shadowy depths below. A strand of his distilled bloodline's faint glow permeated the world within the book's pages.

His consciousness slipped into the book's internal world.

The Book of Time, suspended for ages, harbored a labyrinth of intricate, interwoven dimensions of space and time.

Numerous minuscule realms unfolded across its pages, their interlacing causing them to blend together.

Within the book, Green Willow's consciousness meandered through these various realms, witnessing scenes that typically only dreams would reveal.

Legendary artifacts, spoken of in the Everlands and by extraterrestrial Otherkin, seemed to spring to life within the book's world.

Armored ghosts formed legions, practicing enigmatic formations and engaging in relentless combat.

Winged specters and sprites swarmed around a radiant orb, as if heeding some profound doctrine.

Sky Fiends, with devil souls, took shape in a mystical pool, born from the bubbles that rose with a gurgling sound.

A cavalcade of bizarre and inconceivable vistas surged forth.

Green Willow's consciousness navigated the disordered temporal spaces, his eyes reflecting an otherworldly hue.

The fragmented and peculiar worlds concealed within the Book of Time appeared to be genuine occurrences from this realm's past.

The Book of Time seemed to chronicle the history of the Origin Realm.

Regrettably, the Book of Time was once merely a tome, bereft of inscribed knowledge or script.

Only after its resurgence in the Secret Realm of Time, and through the efforts of Zhong Chichen to coalesce the fragmented streams and nameless glimmers, did the Book of Time begin to reveal the knowledge it lacked and the records it had once lost, now vividly displayed within the worlds of its pages.

"Mr. Zhong!"

Green Willow called out sharply.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Zhong Chichen, clad in his vibrant attire, emerged from a page of the Book of Time, dragging a sinuous golden dragon behind him.

Not only had Zhong Chichen's wounds healed, but the divine light within his seven-colored eyes had become more subdued, as if he had traversed countless epochs within the Book of Time.

He appeared somewhat dazed, struggling to adjust as he reentered the real world, seemingly disoriented for a moment.

Visions of Zhong Chichen's life and the journey of the Seven-Colored Dragon flashed rapidly in the depths of his extraordinary eyes.

Finally, the images settled on Yuan Le arriving in the Ape's form, wielding the Heaven-Shattering Hammer.

"Ah."

Zhong Chichen finally regained his bearings. He tapped his forehead and asked, "Green Willow, what's the reason for summoning me?"

"Rainbow Sage, I..."

Meanwhile, Loong Jie, soaring through various realms and eras, had also healed from his injuries within the slow passage of time in the Book of Time world.

He had been somewhat bewildered, accompanying Zhong Chichen through numerous fantastical worlds, bearing witness to many events alongside him.

But Loong Jie remained in a semi-conscious state, uncertain whether his experiences were dreams or reality.

"You're alright, and that's what matters. Don't trouble your mind with anything else; it's beyond your understanding," Zhong Chichen reassured him, releasing his grip.

The golden dragon god, now diminished in size, reverted to its human form.

Loong Jie scratched his head, indeed no longer exerting himself with further thought.

"What about the others? Yu Yuan, Yuan Le from the Wasteland, Cardo, Reid, Taishi—where have they all gone?" Zhong Chichen inquired.

"I'm not sure. I came to ask you," Green Willow responded, shaking his head. "I didn't stray far. I left before Yuan Le began his slaughter. After noticing that Panot and Alex had departed and no new Beast Gods had appeared, I waited a while before coming to find you."

"I need to speak with Yu Yuan through you. I'm confident you're capable of making that happen."

Green Willow, having witnessed Yuan Le utilize the Life Keychain from the Untamed's chest to invoke the descent of vital energy, had surmised the remarkable properties of the Life Keychain.

Zhong Chichen and Loong Jie each possessed a Life Keychain within them, granting them both immortality.

Their Life Keychains, bestowed by Yu Yuan, meant that his Solar Spirit Body could detect the presence of Zhong Chichen and Loong Jie, allowing him to reach out to the two dragons.

These dragons, in turn, should be capable of interacting with Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit Body.

"Oh, I nearly forgot about this."

Zhong Chichen patted his chest and beamed. "You might find it hard to believe, but it felt like I was only in the Book of Time for a short period. However, for Loong Jie and me, decades have passed."

"I can actually imagine that."

Green Willow spoke earnestly, "When I summoned you, I briefly experienced it too, and it felt like several years in just a moment. So, I truly understand what you're saying."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Chichen paused, then attempted to communicate with Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit.

His expression turned gravely serious.

"The Abyssal Gate has shattered!"

"Cardo is at the summit of the Abyss, receiving the legacy of the Light Spirit! Odd, the luminous orb I saw in the Book of Time, which nurtures peculiar beings, isn't that the Light Spirit?"

"The Light Spirit is supposed to be in the Origin Realm!"

Zhong Chichen mused aloud.

"Or has it... shattered as well?"

Green Willow was taken aback by his initial remark.

"Green Willow, join me on a journey to the Stellar Oblivion; it's Yu Yuan's wish."

After a moment, Zhong Chichen's demeanor settled, yet his striking face was etched with concern.

"Yu Yuan is conveying a significant message to all his allies in his own way. He wants us all to be ready. My goodness, I'm astounded myself; it's truly hard to believe!"

Zhong Chichen shook his head in disbelief.

...

In the Stellar Oblivion.

"The human race originated from the Abyss, as witnessed by the High Priest, Reid. Jihui is on the first level of the Abyss, a land that shines light upon the dark creatures of the Abyss."

"With the Abyssal Gate now fractured, the Evil God may already be stirring in our realm."

"The Lord of Ruin, Yuan Le, avoided entanglement with Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit at the site of the fractured Abyssal Gate. After his escape, his whereabouts became unknown. His two Dark Towers, however, have plummeted into the depths of the Abyss."

"That's essentially the situation. He asked me to inform all of you."

"..."

At the Boulderdawn headquarters, located on a central landmass in the extraterrestrial domain, Taixu, suppressing the shock within his heart, managed to clarify the situation in fits and starts to everyone gathered there.

Among the audience were Soul-Capturing Kaiya, Tianqi, Xuanli, Brie from the Shadowkin, Ballo from the Starborn, Jessica from the Silverscale Tribe, Youqian from the Sky Fiend, and members of the Skyreach Consortium like Shi Jing'er, Feng Zhong, and Jun Chen, as well as Tan Junshan and Duan Yisheng from the Starmoon Sect, and Zhongli Dapan from the Forgeroses.

They were either God-Kings, clan patriarchs, or at the very least, beings of the Unbound Realm.

They had convened in the Stellar Oblivion to defend against the powerful Beast God of the Wasteland. However, Taixu's revelations had thrown them into turmoil.

Some accused the Boulderdawn of deceit, outraged to learn that the sect was actually comprised of humans from the Abyss!

Others, like Shi Jing'er, Feng Zhong, and Jun Chen, were visibly bewildered and gradually fell silent, seemingly pondering their next moves.

God-Kings like Tianqi and Xuanli, massaging their temples, appeared utterly confounded, finding the situation absurd and seeking constant confirmation from Taixu.

Once they accepted the truth, even these two God-Kings joined the silence.

Chaos ensued, and a cacophony enveloped the area.

Only the half-human, half-demon Soul-Capturing Kaiya remained composed throughout, leaning casually against a stone pillar. Her amethyst eyes scanned the faces around her, as if piercing through their skulls to observe their thoughts and emotions.

It seemed she had anticipated this moment, knowing that such an eventuality was bound to occur.

She was the only one amongst them not taken aback by the revelation.

Subsequently, the Secular Bird Queen, the Abyssal Leviathan, the Abyssal Greater Basilisk, the little spinosaurus, and the cosmic giant beasts arrived at the Stellar Oblivion from the Ashlands.

Following them, Ann Ziqing, the Demon God Grec, and others made their appearance. Soon after, Zhong Chichen and Loong Jie arrived with Green Willow.

When Green Willow made his appearance, his status as a Dark Deity, much like the Untamed, having ascended back to the ranks of Dark Deity after losing his original essence, bred some hostility among the others.

Subsequently, through Zhong Chichen, everyone learned that Green Willow had slain the white boa in the Secret Realm of Time. It was also revealed that Green Willow's visit was at Yu Yuan's behest, which left everyone without comment.

The atmosphere in the Stellar Oblivion started to grow peculiar.

Once opinions were exchanged, the truth became clear to all: the Abyssal Gate had fractured, and the human race's origin lay within the Abyss.

The Otherkin were in uproar, and the humans were uncertain, unsure of what direction the future held.

Members of the Starborn, Dawnbringers, and Shadowkin gazed upon the humans with outright hostility, seeing them as aberrant beings from the Abyss.

This incendiary revelation shattered the alliance that had been formed around "Project New Everlands."

The crux of the issue was that Bertain, the Great Demon God and leader of the extraterrestrial Otherkin, had been ensnared in the Abyss and had not returned.

Without their spiritual pillar and leader, the Otherkin held little regard for Kaiya, who was half-human, half-demon, especially since Kaiya possessed a human form.

Whoosh!

At the Starway, Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit Body, alongside Taishi and the Sky Fiend High Priest Reid, materialized suddenly.

Yu Yuan, clad in a deep brown robe, showcased skin that emitted a ruby-like radiance.

At his emergence in the Starway, all the formidable entities from the central continent of Boulderdawn instinctively turned their attention to him.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The hearts of nearly all the Otherkin warriors and human cultivators skipped a beat at the sight of the Solar Spirit.

Otherkin powerhouses like Ballo, Rebecca, Canli, and Jessica, all tenth level warriors, felt a profound kinship in their bloodlines.

Even cosmic giant beasts such as the Abyssal Greater Basilisk, the Abyssal Leviathan, the little spinosaurus, and the Secular Bird Queen sensed a connection to the source of their lineage.

Human cultivators like Duan Yisheng, Shi Jing'er, Feng Zhong, Tan Junshan, and Jun Chen experienced a similar sensation.

Every being of flesh and blood, whether Otherkin or human cultivators, felt a kinship with his Solar Spirit Body.

"I will journey to the Everlands to unravel the secrets that lie deep within the earth."

Yu Yuan emerged from the Starway and stood at the heart of the continent, declaring, "I welcome any humans who wish to join me in the Everlands. Those who are not of our race may observe from beyond the Everlands and bear witness to all that will transpire there."

"Yu Yuan, must we continue this fight?"

Shi Jing'er of the Skyreach Consortium, her brows knitted in concern, murmured, "If we share the same origin in the Abyss as Han Miaoyuan, Lin Daoke, Tan Xiaotian, and the others, then what is there left to fight for?"

Duan Yisheng managed a wry smile, "I now understand why Han Miaoyuan was so unexpectedly generous, allowing the Starmoon Sect, Forgeroses, the Consortium, and all of Boulderdawn to relocate to the Everlands. He must have known all along that we humans are the true outsiders of this world, born from the Abyss."

Feng Zhong's eyes swept over the Otherkin warriors as he said, "In their eyes, we have changed. We've become the Otherkin, just like Han Miaoyuan and Lin Daoke."

Zhongli Dapan remained silent.

The human sects, once steadfast followers of Boulderdawn, had a shift in perspective upon discovering the truth, casting doubt on Yu Yuan's chosen path.

If humans are indeed outsiders, with their origins tracing back to the Abyss, then to the creatures of the Origin Realm, the human incursion is no different from that of the Beast Gods.

The humans of the Everlands have been waging war against the extraterrestrial realms for years. Isn't that an invasion from the Abyss?

And it's been ongoing for so long!

Once the powerful Otherkin harbor such biases, how can they collaborate with Boulderdawn in the future?

Is Project New Everlands doomed before it even begins?

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